The Winterization Project in Afghanistan
Considering the present crisis and its long-term effect in overall development, the members of GRCC have come forward to facilitate a comprehensive humanitarian intervention to help Afghan people in need. With their outstanding personal qualities and highly recommended professional service records with leading humanitarian agencies as senior international staff, they intend to facilitate a comprehensive relief and long-term development intervention, in coordination with the prominent donor community, aid agencies and local authorities. This is a volunteer effort with no political, religious, or cultural bias.
The overall objective of the GRCC intervention in Afghanistan is to address the urgent needs for the people who are at the brink of eminent threats of severe winter when the cold temperature will go below 0 degree Celsius in high altitude areas. In many mountainous provinces like Badakshan and Bamiyan, the temperature drops below minus 20 degrees Celsius. Considering the severity of the harsh winter, immediate relief assistance under the winterization programme (food, clothes and essential goods and commodities) will be initiated. Secondly, considering the ground reality of the limited capacity of health facilities, travel hazards and cost of treatment, GRCC would like to use ICT. The services will target mainly the elders, pregnant and lactating mothers, and infants, and disabled living in selected project locations. They will be provided essential medical and nursing care through an e-health/telemedicine program in coordination with public and non-government healthcare facilities. Later, a long term financial and technical assistance extended for the rehabilitation and development programme will be initiated in the areas of social services, education, entrepreneurship and livelihood, and capacity building of public and private local agency staff in coordination with specialized global and local resource agencies.
Project benefits:
Winterization Program
Target population in selected high altitude areas will receive winterization support that includes woolen caps and mittens for newborn babies, winter clothes and suits for mothers and elderly, (socks, mittens, shawls, sanitary items etc.); Kerosene stoves to keep dwellings warm, and dry food items (including nuts, dates, cheese, dry fruits, noodle packets, rice or flour);
E-Health/Telemedicine
People, particularly children, women and elderly in semi-urban and remote rural areas avail free health advice and treatment through a user friendly digital communication or E-health/telemedicine services (audio and video call) free of cost. E-Health/Telemedicine reduces burden of morbidity through early detection of disease, reduced number of visits to health facilities (primary, secondary, and tertiary) and treatment expenses; increased access to experienced healthcare professionals.
Entrepreneurship and Skills Development Program
Youth folks received skills training and guidance from SME Business Incubation Center to start cottage, micro and small enterprises; Benefits to government include bridging the gaps between rural urban citizens, ICT in healthcare services introduced for poor and low income groups, data for national health MIS, opportunity for public private partnership (PPP) in health sector, minimized health costs and maximized impact.
Expected project outcomes and impacts
Delivery of emergency supplies that reduces vulnerability of children, women and elderly from severe winter weather in high altitude areas
Wide use of mobile and internet technology as easy and cost saving methods for treatment purposes
Public health awareness enhancement and minimization of gender gap in healthcare seeking behaviour through the use of mobile phones among Afghan people in general and girls and women in particular,
ICT based maternal health care services
Improved professional and technical capacities of healthcare professionals including doctors, nurses and traditional birth attendants in all provinces, thereby significantly reducing the number of deaths from preventable diseases.
Significant improvements in newborn and under-five child care, elderly care, personal hygiene and health care of adolescent girls and mothers, mental health, and psychosocial care.
Long term development initiatives that help internally displaced and affected families rebuild their economies, send their children to school, provide healthcare and nutritious food, and create job opportunities in SME sectors.
Project Locations:
